Jesus asked them: “Where is your faith?” He could certainly ask us all, the same question today.

Faith, we are all given a measure, the measure that allows us to see and accept, Jesus as Lord and Savior.

Unfortunately, many refuse to act on this Faith. They prefer to trust in themselves, someone else or the government.

They do not realize they are rejecting the good and perfect gift of God.

“God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.”
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights,”

Since we are only given a measure of Faith, (the Faith to believe), it is up to us to nurture and grow our Faith,

How? By the renewing of our mind, (reading, meditating, praying and knowing His Word), that we could prove, what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

That we would come into:
“the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God,”

That we:
“might perfect that which is lacking in our faith?”
“For by grace are we saved through faith;”

“that which is lacking in our faith?” What?

Paul was so concerned, for what the Thessalonians lacked, that He spent:
“Night and day praying exceedingly that we might see your face, and might perfect that which is lacking in your faith?”
1 Thessalonians 3:10

Which brings us to today:

Although my Faith, sometimes wavers, (lacks), I believe I was brought by God, to this little UMC, to teach them, and lead them, into all that God has to offer.

The Pastor, always listens, says he is glad for me, BUT “God didn’t give him that gift. He doesn’t need that gift. That gift only brings confusion.”

He refuses to accept that the gift of Tongues could be his own; and in so doing, tells his congragation, they don’t need it.

~ He is maybe afraid that he would not be able to control the gift of tongues if he had it.
~ He cannot seem to seperate the prayer language from public tongues and interpretation.
~ He believes God would have forced it upon him if he needed it. (He had to ask for Salvation, but thinks the Baptism of the Spirit is not a separate Spiritual Blessing).

I have told him the scriptures, but he refuses to allow Gods truth, to bless him.

I will list some scripture here, in the hopes the Lord would open eyes.

~ First Question: Who should receive the Baptism of the Holy Spirt? (The Gift of Tongues, included).

Mark 16:17
“And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;”

Some will argue, that verse is not in the original text it was added later. (OK, then:)

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:” 2 Timothy 3:16

Alright, you reject that scripture, how about these other witnesses?

Acts 2:4
“And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”

The one hundred and twenty believers, in one accord, in one place. “all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues,”

We have other witnesses:

Acts 19:6
“And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.”

Have you received the Holy Spirit since you believed? No? Here, by gosh, they spoke in tongues. (This is evidence, you can see and hear).

Acts 10:45-47
“And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God.”

“they heard them speak with tongues” Those who believe, is that you?

For the Lords sake, ask him to give the gift to you. Like with pSalvation, you know not the Spiritual Blessings until you allow the Lord to work His will in your life. (check out Deuteronomy 29:29), this is for us all to do His work).

~ Prayer language (No Interpretation) Confusion:
Do we understand what we pray, when we pray in Tongues? Are we hampered in our Faith or helped?

Selected verses from Romans 8:
“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:”

“ For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.”

“Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

“And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

We love that “all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

Why are we afraid to allow the Spirit to pray the will of God in our lives, we claim that is what we desire.

Selected verses from 1 Corintians 12, 14:
“Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant.”

“covet earnestly the best gifts:”

“he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.”

“He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; “

I would that ye all spake with tongues but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying.” (Notice switch from private prayer to public, keep the difference in mind while reading this chapter).

“Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church.” (Public tongues uplifts the church, only with interpretation).

“Wherefore let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret.
For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful.

What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.” (In public must have interpretation, in speech and song to bless the church).

“Else when thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest?”

“For thou verily givest thanks well, but the other is not edified. I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all: Yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue.”

We speak to God well, but others do not understand, so in public we need to interpret.

“Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men.”

Please recognize the difference between a private prayer language and public tongues and interpretation.

“If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret. But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God.”

If no Interpretation then: “keep silence in the church and let him speak to himself, and to God.” Private prayer.

“And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.”

You do not have to speak in tongues, like salvation it is a gift, we must receive it and take it off the shelf and exercise it.

“But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant. Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues. Let all things be done decently and in order.”

To my mind too many want to remain ignorant.

My question to you is: Do you long to be strong in the Lord, to have the wisdom, power and grace to do his will?

Then accept, open and experience all the gifts He has given. They are the Talents the Master has left His servants, He did not leave us a talent of speaking, playing an instument or singing.

NO, He left us His Holy Spirit, to teach, guide and comfort. Yet we refuse His Gifts. We apparently truly think He is the author of confussion. “If any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant.”

Do you accept the Word of God, or the Doctrine of your church?

Matthew 7:26
“And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:”

Ask the Lord for His truth. Amen.

Thanks for visiting.

‘You can have the relationship you desire with God. I desire an intimate one.’

The key of knowledge. Not the Tree of, or the Word of, but the Knowledge of Christ. ‘Be not conformed to this world, but Transformed by the Renewing of your mind.’

Sadly, many Denominations have the Truth that was revealed to their Founders. Now.,, They have it all. There is no more to learn from the Scriptures.

New Revelation is discarded, refused, irrelevant. They are just like the Jewish Leaders, in the time of Christ.

Luke 11: 52.

“Woe unto you, lawyers! (Religious leaders), for ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered.”

Another translation:

Luke 11:52 Names of God Bible (NOG)

“How horrible it will be for you experts in Moses’ Teachings! You have taken away the key that unlocks knowledge. You haven’t gained entrance into knowledge yourselves, and you’ve kept out those who wanted to enter.”

The Churches today, that deny the Work of the Holy Spirit for today, are looking for a Malpractice suit.

Saints, they cannot teach the Truth of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, they have no True Spiritual Discernment.

They claim to have the Spirit, but do not, or will not, ask for the Gift of Tongues.

It scares them. They do not realize: 1 Corinthians 14:32
‘The spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.’

When we first receive the Holy Spirit, with the evidence of Speaking in Tongues, it is easy to scare those without, our Joy, Peace and Love abounds.

We sing, Dance, Speak, Pray and Sing in the Spirit. It is hard to contain the Joy we receive, like David, we dance before the Lord.

Speaking not for man’s edification, but directly to God. (Spirit, ours, to God’s Spirit, perfect prayer), sadly some reject this as confusion.

We need to search the Scriptures, not to disprove, but to prove that they are true.

Church, you alone are responsible, for what you accept as Truth. The Word of Man, or of God.

I choose to believe and follow the Scriptures and the Lord, not the Bad Theology of some of our Churches.

Your choice, Your Walk with the Lord. I want a closer, more powerful life with Him. How about you?

Thanks for visiting, come back soon.
Know, you are loved.
bill Theunfetteredpreacher cote

‘You can have the relationship you want with God. My desire is a more intimate one.’

Do you think you know the Voice of God? Have you heard Him speak? Would you recognize His Voice, if He spoke to you?

Is it the sound of a Mighty Rushing Wind? Or a still small voice? Do you hear a noise of chariots, and a noise of horses, even the noise of a great host?

“Let it be, when thou hearest the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt bestir thyself:” (What?)

Do you strain to hear Him? Do you understand what He is saying? Do you believe he speaks at all?

“They heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day:”

Adam and Eve recognized the voices of the Lord God, and because of their sin, hid.

Do we find ourselves, hiding from God, ashamed of ourselves? He desires we come boldly to His throne of Grace.

We certainly can do that, IF we are covered with the blood of the Lamb.

“If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord that healeth thee.”

Freedom from the plagues of Egypt? One of the many promises given to those who love Him.

John 5:25
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.”

Are you living, do you hear His voice?

Psalm 29:3
“The voice of the Lord is upon the waters: the God of glory thundereth: the Lord is upon many waters.”

Psalm 95:6-8 (KJV)

“O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker.

For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. To day if ye will hear his voice,

Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness:”

It may be a still small voice, we think of it, as our conscience. It might be a mighty rushing wind, we experience as we read His Word, and are blown away by His Revelation to us.

Or it could be in the midst of a storm.

The Lord wants to speak to us. To make His will and ways for our life clear. “Today, harden not your heart…”

Hezekiah, a man of God. At 24 he became King of the Tribe of Judah. The two Tribes, (Israel and Judah), had both fallen away from the Lord.

Hezekiah, in his first month, of his first year, as King, called the Levites and Priests to Sanctify themselves, and the House of the Lord. (Sanctify- To set apart for the Lord’s Service).

2 Chronicles 29: 10-11

“Now it is in mine heart to make a covenant with the LORD God of Israel, that his fierce wrath may turn away from us. My sons, be not now negligent: for the LORD hath chosen you to stand before him, to serve him, and that ye should minister unto him, and burn incense.”

He called all of Judah to Sanctify themselves, to come to the House of the Lord to Worship. Not enough Preists were Sanctified, so the Levites, stepped up to do the work.

(The Levites, were originally called to care for the Tabernacle, and all the contents. They were in charge of keeping the Holy Vessels and Lamp Stands and Alters ready for the Preists to Sacrifice and obtain Forgiveness for the people. The Levites led in Praise and Worship).

So Hezekiah, as his first order of business, was to bring the people back to God.

The King called all of Israel and Judah to come to Jerusalem, to celebrate the Passover, they were a month late, and had not kept the tradition for years. They returned to the Lord.

He pleaded that they not be stiffnecked as their fathers were, but to come and yield themselves to The Lord, in the Sanctuary.

2 Chronicles 30: 4.

“And the thing pleased the king and all the congregation.“

Many of those who came to Worship, had not Sanctified themselves, yet ate the Passover.

2 Chronicles 30:18-20

“For a multitude of the people, even many of Ephraim, and Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet did they eat the passover otherwise than it was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, The good LORD pardon every one ,That prepareth his heart to seek God, the LORD God of his fathers, though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary.

And the LORD hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people.”

This was the first of Three recorded Prayers of Hezekiah, that the Lord answered.

Hezekiah spoke and comforted the people, assuring them that God’s wrath, would be turned away.

There had not been such great Joy in Jerusalem, since the days of Solomon, the son of David. The Preists and Levites Blessed the people, and their voice and prayer was heard in Heaven.

Hezekiah appointed the Preists and Levites to receive the Gifts of the People, and to build storehouses.

2 Chronicles 31: 21.

“And in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, and in the law, and in the commandments, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart, and prospered.”

The story of Hezekiah is found in 2 Chronicles, 2 Kings, and in the Book of Isaiah. The other two prayers the Lord answered are up next. I will leave you with this verse.

2 Kings 18: 5.

“He trusted in the LORD God of Israel; so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor any that were before him.”

Thanks for visiting, come back soon.
Know, you are loved.
bill Theunfetteredpreacher cote

‘You can have the relationship you want with God. My desire is a more intimate one.’